Whirlpool joins How2Recycle Label program

Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, Michigan, has announced a partnership with standardized labeling system How2Recycle, which gives consumers simplified instructions on how to best recycle product packaging materials.

Whirlpool Corp. is the first appliance manufacturer to become a member of How2Recycle, a program of GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Charlottesville, Virginia. The company says this move builds upon its commitment to offering consumers sustainable solutions for their homes by facilitating responsible recycling of product packaging.

“We are planning to make it even easier for our consumers to do the right thing the right way,” says Ron Voglewede, global sustainability director at Whirlpool Corp. “In the future, this partnership will allow us to inform homeowners on the best way to manage and eliminate waste while helping lower their impacts in their own communities.”

With all the different types of materials on the market today, learning how to responsibly dispose of product packaging can be confusing for some consumers. However, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by How2Recycle, 50 percent of respondents reported changing their behavior based on what they learned from the packaging labeling system.

This new partnership with How2Recycle is part of Whirlpool’s larger commitment to sustainability, including helping consumers in areas from energy efficiency to waste reduction, according to the company. Whirlpool has received 38 Energy Star Awards since 1998, more than any other appliance manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada.

Corporate sustainability and waste reduction also are priorities across Whirlpool Corp.’s manufacturing and supply chain functionalities, with the company recently reaffirming its zero-waste-to-landfill goal in every manufacturing facility across the globe by 2022, it says.

Whirlpool says it is the No. 1 major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world.

The How2Recycle Label is a U.S.-based standardized labeling system designed to clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. Participation in the How2Recycle Label program is voluntary, with more than 50 member companies currently participating.